Robert Allen

Bob Pease, 70, a prominent Silicon Valley engineer and author of several books on analog chip design, died Saturday evening when his car crashed into a tree in Saratoga, Calif., southwest of San Jose.

Pease, who was not wearing a seat belt while driving his vintage Volkswagen Beetle, struck the tree head-on and died instantly, according to the California Highway Patrol. Authorities said Pease was coming out of the Mountain Winery driveway, but it was not clear if alcohol played a role in the crash.

A San Francisco resident known for his brilliant mind, eccentric personality and flowing white beard, Pease worked for 33 years as an analog chip designer at National...

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Bob Pease, 70, a prominent Silicon Valley engineer and author of several books on analog chip design, died Saturday evening when his car crashed into a tree in Saratoga, Calif., southwest of San Jose.
Pease, who was not wearing a seat belt while...